McHenry County College (MCC) will be displaying two new art exhibits this spring in artspace144 and the Epping Gallery respectively.
On display now through March 14 in artspace144, located outside the MCC Gym, is An Exercise in Restraint by artist Ari Norris. Originally from West Michigan, Norris is an artist primarily working in sculpture. He utilizes a variety of processes and materials in what generally results in the duplication of real-world objects, aimed at exploring the boundaries between the ordinary and the phenomenal. These investigations are typically arranged in what immediately appear as casual or coincidental occurrences, but are in fact deliberately actualized through a mixture of traditional and contemporary approaches.
Norris received an MA from Northern Illinois University in 2021 and has exhibited solo shows in Chicago at David Salkin Creative and the Plan. His work has been featured at Riverside Arts Center in Riverside, IL, Baby Blue Gallery in Chicago, IL, the Midwest Sculpture Exhibition in Kokomo, IN, and other locations in Michigan, Missouri, New York, Florida, Texas, and Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Norris’s work has been reviewed by Chicago Spleen and included in publications such as Chicago Gallery News. For more information about Norris, visit www.arinorris.us and his Instagram page @aristotle_norris.
There will be an artist talk with Norris on Wednesday, March 5 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. in the Luecht Auditorium at MCC (Room B170). A reception with the artist will follow the talk in artspace 144 (A144e). Both events are free and open to the public.
On display in the Epping Gallery now through March 28 will be Backroads by Eric Larson. The Epping Gallery is located on the lower level of Building B, across from the MCC Store.
In his paintings, Larson looks to uncover often overlooked vignettes of everyday life, including scenes from rural America, the changing seasons, country roads, old farm buildings, and backstreet alleys, capturing the interplay of sunlight and shadow on frame houses and weathered barns.
Eric Larson is an accomplished oil painter who grew up in a suburban family outside Chicago. He developed a passion for art in high school, where he was inspired by a dedicated teacher. During a career in information technology, he reignited his love for painting through small daily practices, influenced by artist Carol Marine. He now resides in Woodstock, IL, drawing inspiration from the rural landscapes and historic buildings of small towns.
Larson has received numerous accolades, including an Honorable Mention at the Art of the Land Show in 2024, Best of Show at the Light on the Easel National Juried Show in 2024, and the Alden Bryan Award for Traditional Painting in Oil through the Copley Society, Boston in 2023. With collectors spanning 20 states and five countries, he is represented by Milward Farrell Gallery in Madison, WI, and Rice Gallery of Fine Art in Overland Park, KS, among others. For more information about Larson, visit www.ericlarsonart.com and his Instagram page @ericlarsonart.
For more information about the art galleries at MCC, to request pricing, or to be added to the mailing list for upcoming exhibitions, please contact Trevor Power, Art Gallery Curator, at tpower@mchenry.edu.